Celebrating a West Virginia Natural Gem
Friday, July 31, 2009
ELKINS, W. Va. - West Virginia is rich in natural wonders, and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is celebrating them with a Conservation Day on Saturday. The event celebrates the recent Cranberry Wilderness expansion, as well as the birthday of USFS mascot Smokey Bear.
Smokey taught a whole generation to appreciate nature, says Diana Stull at the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center. Today, she sees that appreciation in the Center's visitors.
"They really enjoy how it has been kept natural; there's not a lot of trail markings or signage or anything. You go strictly by foot tread to see where the trails are, and by maps - and some people use GPS units."
Stull says those who turn out for Conservation Day activities can learn about the bats and flying squirrels that call the forest home; they also can participate in programs on recycling, native plants and reptile preservation. She promises they'll come away with a new understanding of wilderness.
"A lot of people don't understand what 'wilderness' means. They think the whole forest is wilderness, you know - some people do. Now, they can see how we manage it and why it's kept this way."
The Cranberry Wilderness gained nearly 12,000 acres as part of the Wild Monongahela Act passed by Congress earlier this year. The legislation protects a total of six areas within the Monongahela National Forest. Conservation Day at Cranberry is Saturday, August 1, from 10:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m.
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